5 - Men and Boys of the Court

Summary

The largest group of recipients in the regency Accounts was made up of men and boys of good family who were attached to the court in some way. Those receiving the most clothes and accessories were of course members of Arran's immediate family, but he also granted items to more distant relations and political or personal associates. To complicate matters, relatives of the Regent and other well-born people often served as household staff or in other positions in the government that Arran directly supervised and might receive clothing as a perquisite. Those serving the court and the Regent may be found in Chapter 7, while those serving others are listed in Chapter 8.

Aside from Arran himself, the men and boys of the court had the most formal and expensive wardrobes of any males in the regency Accounts. They were more likely to have gowns rather than just coats and cloaks, and the quality of materials they wore was on average quite good, with a relatively high percentage of velvets and other silks as well as the more expensive wools. Some had passementerie braid or strips of velvet to trim their clothes. They were also the most likely to receive a full outfit of gown, coat, doublet, and hose, but items such as shirts, gloves, and shoes were usually reserved for close family members.

Men and boys of the court were also most likely to have wedding clothing provided for them. Rather than being a specific type of formal wear, wedding clothes for men were simply the best quality that could be purchased. These would then be added to the wardrobe and worn for other occasions in the future. In contrast, garments for mourning were spread across the social spectrum.

Among adult men in this category, clothing of which the color was specified was overwhelmingly black with some white and gray and a few instances of tawny, purple, and red. Boys had a larger percentage of the lighter and brighter colors in the men's range, with occasional touches of blue, yellow, and green in addition. Doublets and hose were more likely to be made in colors other than black, although coats and gowns were sometimes lighter.